Griznuq Gaming

[Reference to Session 14 Part 2][Reference to ICD “Following the Trail]

Play Date: March 8, 2013

Players: Phin (Sayer) and Johan (Jarmok)

Duthash Gyth Basque VY. 237 (May 29)

Jarmok followed the Arch-Duke Corwynn Vallensun into Sayer’s spacious rooms. The return trip to Kurr was exhilarating at the start, but knowing that the eventual end of it was in the city made Jarmok less than happy to be making it.

Still, he needed to be in Kurr just now, and the sooner they could get this investigation underway (and over with), the sooner the company would be back to Threshold.

The charge for the two men: track down the traitors who abetted Sargent Farkus in handing the priests and councilors to the Shadow Riders. But leave Farkus alone; Corwynn would deal with him.

Question: how do letters get from Corwynn to Sayer (when they do, that is)?

Answer:

Corwynn dictates letters to the Herald Sabine (a long-time presence in the court, and friend to Sayer)Sabine hands the written letters to the Royal Scribes. The letters that had been missing, but have since been found, were transcribed by three different scribes: Dacodah, Calico, and two letters by a scribe named Peitor.Transcribed letters are sealed by the Headmaster (Friedrick Fitzsimmons), and delivered to the Royal Couriers for delivery to their final destination

o The seals on royal communications are all the same; there is no way that these particular letters would have been picked out from the other royal communications based upon the seal

The Royal Courier Master is a fellow named Argen McKenzie.

Sabine confirmed that there were four letters that had been sent to Sayer; all of these have been recovered.

Sayer begins the investigation in the Royal Military Reports – it would be wise to know what Sargent Farkus’ reports stated. Sayer requested all Military Reports submitted since May 3rd to ensure that: 1) We got the reports that we were actually looking for, and 2) it would remain inobvious which specific reports were being sought. It is believed that Sargent Farkus’ report would have been submitted between May 12 and May 15

Timeline:

Ambush: May 8Convoy should have arrived in Threshold on May 9thTherefore, Convoy would have left Kurr on May 5th, or thereabouts.Soldiers should have returned to Kurr on May 11th, or thereabouts (the soldiers, devoid of the encumbrance of the priests and councilors, should have been able to travel somewhat faster).

The balance of this day was spent by Sayer sorting through the Military reports, though nothing of interest was gleaned from them.

Farkus’ report states:

No specific soldiers’ names from the escort, only that he grabbed 20 men, and upon their return these 20 men were left at Kelvin’s Bridge (a day south of Kurr, as the road enters the Great Forest).Priests and councilors were delivered to Threshold safely

Return Reports

Duthash Gyth Aryor VY. 237 (May 30):

Today, Sayer decides, we shall visit the Courier Master, and start to track down Farkus’ known friends and allies.

Nothing of import was learned at the Courier’s Post, though two suspicious things did transpire:

The Courier Master (Argen McKenzie) got a bit nervous at the mention of Threshold.

As Sayer and Jarmok took their leave of the Courier’s Power, the departing companions were eyed suspiciously by a young courier.

The two spoke with Corwynn’s Firbolg guards (recently met by Jarmok):None of the four (Mirak, Bjornin, Varhuk, and Sven…all of the clan Azgaard) know much about Farkus. The Sargent keeps a small circle of associates, but is frequently seen with a younger courier…a lad named “Davis”. By the description of Davis, this seems to be the courier who eyed Sayer and Jarmok earlier.

Sayer and Jarmok head for Kelvin’s Bridge (a small town on the edge of The Great Forest) by way of carriage. Perhaps some answers will be found there.

Dinner finds us staying at an inn called the Pearl Pheasant, and dining with councilman Gabriel McGarrit. Gabriel tells us that he recalls the contingent passing through, en-route to Threshold, but he knows nothing of the returning soldiers.

Session 25a: Further Down the Trail of TraitorsPlay Date: March 22, 2013Players: Phin (Sayer) and Johan (Jarmok)

Qwydeon Albyr Voldyn (June 1):

Sayer and Jarmok hatch a plan: From Kelvin’s Bridge, they will send a letter from Sayer to the Arch Duke. If any foulplay should happen from Kelvin’s Bridge, we may well be able to find who intercepted and misdirected the letters. Of note in this plan is that there is but one Courier Stop between Kelvin’s Bridge and Threshold, that being Xuad’Tarn and there is only one courier who runs between Xuad’Tarn and Threshold (Nodgrin). Thus, messages must have been mis-directed no later than Kelvin’s Bridge.

Visit the Courier’s Master in Kelvin’s Bridge – a man named Thomas Madrin. Thomas set to his task directly, and Sayer’s letter seems to be summarily under way. No apparent issues here.

From here the companions split up for a bit:Sayer sets back to Kurr in his carriage.Jarmok set to the forest to see if he can find a rendezvous point that a person might meet with Shadow Riders at. The idea being that if letters are misdirected just before getting to Kelvin’s Bridge, the traitor would want to meet with Shadow Riders, who would presumably be out in the rolling plains. A site along the forest’s edge would be needed.

No luck here either.

Jamok catches up to Sayer and they proceed back to Kurr.

About 1 hand south of Kurr, Jarmok espies a little-used trail that makes the hair on the back of his neck stand up. This trail appears to have been last used about two weeks ago…which happens to be when the last communication from the Arch-Duke to Sayer would have been misdirected.

Follow the trail about a mile to a trampled clearing that has all the ear-marks of a traitor’s rendezvous point: torch sconce in a tree, tracks entering the clearing from multiple directions, and Shadewolf tracks!

This appears to be our point of misdirection.

Sayer heads into Kurr to bait a hook, while Jarmok remains hidden in the trees near the meeting point.

Sayer dictates a letter of urgency to be sent to Julius Hawkhaven in Threshold. The communication indicates that we have two priests to return to Threshold with the members of the Protectorate: one Darion of Kossuth (a Flame Dancer), and one Marken Vallensun of Paladine (the Arch-Duke Corwynn’s own nephew). The letter is dictated, and delivered to the scribes…then, we wait.

Near mid-night Jarmok spies a man leading a horse towards the meeting spot. The man bears a torch, and as he leads an aged stallion to the clearing, Jarmok can see that the man himself is middle-aged.

Jarmok shoots the man in the leg before he can get to the clearing.

Jarmok quickly extinguishes the torch and takes the man into custody, forcing him to walk on a punctured leg back to Kurr.

Jarmok hands the man over to the Firbolgs, indicating that Sayer will want to be shortly interrogating him.

Qwydeon Albyr Fehy (June 2) – the wee hours:

Sayer is found in a room with the man that Jarmok caught: it is Argen McKenzie – the Courier Master! Sayer is smooth, and works Argen with a combination of diplomacy and intimidation and we find:

Sargent Farkus is forcing Argus to participate in this treason – Farkus and his allies are apparently holding Argus’ family against Argen’s cooperation.The mis-direction of these communications starts with FitzsimmonsRevisit (in great detail) the Royal Communications chain of events:Typical flow of Royal Communications:

o Arch-Duke dictates to Sabineo Sabine passes letters to the Royal Scribeso Royal Scribes transcribe letters, and pass them along to the Headmaster (Friedrick Fitzsimmons).o Fitzsimmons seals letters, and his assistant, Portia, delivers them to Royal Palace Courier Durgin.o Durgin brings them to the Royal Couriers for delivery throughout the realm.

Argen tells that in the case of “communications of special interest”, this chain of events was not followed!! In recent months, Fitzsimmons was delivering these communications to a page named Mila to be delivered to one Argen.

Argen’s task was to bring whatever letters he had received to the clearing, and place a torch in the sconce and wait for people to show up to receive them. He is aware that he is delivering letters to Shadow Riders…he says that Shadow Riders are in the city even now.

Argen says that his family is being kept on the lake front, in a warehouse of Markel’s Holdings & Deliveries (Markels are a wealthy trade / shipping family).

As the sun rises, Sayer and Jarmok are updating the Arch-Duke as to their findings.

Question Mila – she seems to be a pawn of Fitzsimmons, who is a cousin of hers, though she bears him no love.

Today’s task is to rescue Argen’s family. For this, Arch-Duke Corwynn introduces us to Darian the Flame Dancer. Darian will help us in this endeavor.

The rescue goes well. The three companions are able to infiltrate the warehouse, finding a handful of Shadow Riders on duty there as well as a few City Guards.

In all, with some minor injury to the Companions, the Shadow Riders are all killed, one City Guard is captured alive, a smuggling operation is discovered, and the McKenzie family is rescued.